Rail-joint.



N0. 69I,037. Patented Ian. I4, I902.

B. WOLHAUPTER.

RAIL JOINT;

(Application filed May 11, 1899.) v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shem l.

Ma WP Belg/(mama ifi/zazg 'ifer No. 69l,037. Patented Ian. M," i902.

B. WOLHAUPTER.

RAIL JOINT. (Application filed May 11. 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N0. 69|,037. Patentadl Jan. l4, I902.

B. WOLHAUPTER.

RAIL JOINT.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shut 3.

UNTTE STATES PATENT FFlQE.

BENJAMIN \VOLI-IAUPTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,037, dated January 14, 1902. Application filed May 11, 1899. Serial No. 716,351. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction in rail-joints of that class having a supporting or base plate on which the ends of the rail rest and which is itself supported upon the ties.

The main features of construction in the joint herein described are adapted for either a suspended joint, or one located between adjacent ties, or one in which the ends of the rail are located over and directly supported hya tie. Some of the features of the invention are, however, adapted especially for use in a suspended joint.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of my improved baseplate and rail-joint. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the ties in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a girder form of base-plate, showing a singlestiffeningflange. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the angle-plate. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sectional views of a portion of the rail, showing modified forms of the base-plate. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional fragmentary view showing a modified form of the angle-plate and the flange of the base-plate engaged therewith. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the outer edge of one form of the angle-plate, showing a recess cut therein for insertion of the spike. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional View showing a modified form of the base-plate. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified form of the base-plate. Fig. 12 is a plan view of that form of base-plate shown in Fig. 11.

Describing the first construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A A indicate the adjacent ends of an, ordinary track-rail, comprising a head a, a web a, and foot-flanges a Preferably the upper surfaces of the footflanges a and the under surfaces of the head a will be provided with angular faces inclined at like angles to the perpendicular. The Web a will be provided with one or more transversely arranged bolt apertures w in the usual manner.

B is a fish-plate, which may be of any ordinary construction. As shown herein, it is formed with its upper and lower margins inclined at similar angles, so as to engage the angular faces on the under side of the head (t and the upper side of the foot-flanges a of the rail. It is provided with one or more transversely-arranged bolt-apertures b to register with the apertures a of the rail-web.

O is a base-plate, in this instance shown as flat on its upper and lower surfaces and somewhat wider than the combined Width of the rail-flanges. On one side it is provided with an upturned portion or member 0, forming a shoulder 0, against which the edge or margin a of one flange of each rail may rest when the rail is in position upon the top of the base-plate, as shown in Fig. 1. At the opposite side of the base-plate C the same is provided with one or more spike-holes 0 through which ordinary railway-spikes may be driven into the tie D in a familiar manner. Ordinarily two spikesholes will be used; but one only may be used when a tie is located beneath the meeting ends of the rails. The position of-the slot or aperture 0 will be such that when the rail is placed in position upon the base-plate O with the edge a of one of the rail-flanges abutting against the shoulder a the edge a of the other rail-flange will be at such distance from the outer margin of the spike-hole as to admit the thickness of the spike, the latter thereby forming a key by which the rail is held against the said shoulder c. The base-plate O is pro- 5 vided with horizontal bearing-surfaces at its end portions for contact with the ties and is also provided with a longitudinal depending flange made integral therewith, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and extending between said end portions thereof. Said flange is made of such length where it joins the base-plate as to extend between the sides of adjacent ties and is preferably made with inclined ends. Said integral flange gives to the base plate the form of. a girder, serving to stiffen the part of the same between the ties to resist downward deflection under the downward strains coming on the ends of the rails.

E is an angle-plate having a vertical and a lateral member. The vertical member 6 is constructed to fit between the rail-head and foot-flange, and its upper and lower edges are provided with angular surfaces corresponding with the inclined surfaces of the upper surface of the rail-flange a and the under surface of the head a. This vertical member is also provided with one or more horizontally-arranged bolt-apertures E, registering with the apertures a of the rail-web. The lower member 8 of the angle-plate extends outwardly over the rail-flange, and its outer margin is adapted to have interlocking engagement with the adjacent margin of the base-plate. Such interlocking connection, as shown in the drawings, is formed by means of an outwardly-extending flange c on the base-plate and a marginal extension e on the angle-plate, which extends around the said flange c and engages the under surface of the same. The outer margin of this extension 6 will be provided with one or more vertically-arranged recesses or slots e (Shown in Fig. 4 and indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 1.) These slots or recesses are adapted for the reception of spikes D, whereby the angle-plate E may be secured to the ties D. The outwardly-extending part of the angleplate, together with the flange e therein, which extends beneath and engages the flange c of the base-plate, forms, in effect, a groove e which receives said flange c Saidflange of the base-plate need not, however, fit closely against the top surface of said groove, the parts being interlocked by the contact of the angle-plate against the top of the said flange and the contact of the flange c with the flange a which extends beneath the same. The distance from the shoulder c to the bottom of the groove 6 is somewhat greater than the distance from said shoulder to the outer edge of the flange 0 so as to admit of lateral movement of the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate when the bolts which secure the angle-plate to the rails are tightened. The contact-surfaces of said flanges c and e are, moreover, horizontal, and one or both of said surfaces are extended laterally to permit lateral adjustment or shifting of the angle-plate without aflecting the clamping action of the angle-plate on the rail-flange.

F is a tie bolt provided with the usual headf on one end and with screwthreads upon the other. It extends through registering apertures a, b, and E of the rail-web, fish-plate, and angle-plate, and by means of the nut F the parts are secured together and the angle-plate may be adjusted or tightened with respect to the rail in a familiar manner. If desired, any familiar form of nut-lock f may be inserted between the nut F and the fish-plate B. The bolts arranged as described constitute a means for adjustably securing the angle-plate to the rails, and any other form of adjustable securing means may be employed in place thereof.

Referring now to the various modifications of my invention, I first point out that I may in some instances use a plurality of depending flanges O O, as indicated in Fig. 5. On the other hand, as indicated in Fig. 10, the special form of base-plate therein shown may be without any flange, although in some instances the said flange 0 might be used with that particular form of base-plate. Ordinarily the flat form of base-plate shown in Fig. 3 will be used; but the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11 embodies further improvements in the construction of such base-plate. In Fig. 101 have shown what might be termed a corrugatedbase-plate, the same having a plurality of longitudinal corrugations formed by parallel ribs and intervening grooves or recesses on both the upper and lower surfaces of the base-plate. It will be observed, however, that substantially flat bearing-surfaces are presented in this form of base-plate both on the top and bottom of the same. In .Fig. 11 the stiflening-ribs are shown only in the upper surface of the base-plate. These ribs extend lengthwise of the base-plate the entire length thereof, as shown in Fig. 12. The ribbed or corrugated form of base plate shown maybe readily made of wrought metal by the process of rolling. Moreover, the flange or flanges 0 shown in other figures of the drawings may be easily formed by first rolling the blanks with the flange or flanges extending the full length thereof and then cutting away the end portions of the flanges, so as to leave the plates with flat bearing-sun faces at their ends for contact with the ties.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification of the locking device between the base-plate and the angle-plate. In the construction first described the flange c and the flange 6 were shown as having horizontal contact-surfaces. The modification consists in having surfaces inclined, so as to make the flange c of wedge shape. It will be manifest that when the angle-plate and the base-plate thus made are interlocked, the tie-bolt inserted, and the nuts therein tightened the inclined surface of the flange 0 will draw the outer margin of the angle-plate downwardly, and thereby clamp the same more firmly against the rail-flange.

With this construction it may be unnecessary to extend the Vertical member. 6 of the fishplate to the head a of the rail, and in Fig. 7 I have shown this vertical member as terminating at the point lettered e In this form of angle-plate, however, it will be preferable to materially thicken the vertical member e in the manner indicated in Fig. 7.

It may be desirable in some instances that the downwardly-extending member e of the angle-plate should not be so thick at its edge, as shown in Figs. 7 and 1, and said member a may be provided on its outer margin with a laterally-extending flange 6 provided with notches e to receive the holding-spikes, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 8 and 9.

In some instances it may be desirable to omit the spike-holes c in one side of the baseplate and to provide each side of the baseplate with the shoulder c and outwardly-extending flange c for engagement with angleplates such as are shown in Fig. 1. This modification is indicated in Fig. 6. Of course it will be understood that when this form of base-plate is used the fish-plate B will be dispensed with and the angle-plate used on both sides of the rail.

A main feature of my invention is embraced in a construction comprising a baseplate and an angle-plate having interlocking engagement with one side of the base-plate and wherein the base-plate is provided at its opposite side with spike-holes, through which may be inserted spikes for secu ring both the rail and base-plate to the ties. So far as this general feature of my invention is concerned the plate need have no shoulder against which the edge of the rail-flanges rest, or if such shoulder be present it may be so located that the rail-flanges do not come in contact with the same when the parts are finally secured in place, it being obvious that if the rail-flanges do not rest in contact with such a shoulder the rail will be heldfrom move ment in one direction by the spikes and from movement in the opposite direction by contact of the angle-plate, which is spiked to the ties, with the inclined surfaces of the rail head and flange. It is to be noted, however, that inasmuch as the tightening of the bolts F or other securing means will move the angleplate with respect to the rail, if no shoulder be present on the base-plate or if the rail-flanges do not bear against a shoulder on the baseplate, the base-plate, as Well as the angle-plate, will in such case be moved or shifted in tightening the angle-plate against the rail, and it will become necessary to remove the spikes from the base-plate and reinsert them after the base-plate has been brought to the desired position, the old spike-holes in such case being usually plugged with wood in order that the spikes may be driven accurately in the proper place. By reason of the disadvantage arising from such shifting the base-plate I prefer to employ a base-plate provided with a shoulder, as herein described, and to arrange the rails withthe flanges thereof bearing against said shoulder,thereby maintaining a constant position or relation of the base-plate to the rail and enabling the base-plate to remain undisturbed or permanently secured to the ties. When this latter construction is employed, obviously the angle-plate must have lateral adjustment with respect to the baseplate, and in the process of tightening the angle-plate against the rail said angle-plate will be moved with respect to the base-plate, while the latter will remain undisturbed, and the removal and insertion of the spikes becomes unnecessary. The construction in which the base-plate is provided with a shoulder against which the rail-flanges rest and where the angle-plate is laterally adjusted with respect to the base-plate constitutes, therefore, an important part of my invention and is herein claimed as such.

The base-plate G will invariably be so placed that the shoulder c is at the outer side of the rails and the spike'holes c at the inner margins thereof, so that the lateral outward strain on the rails, due to the outward pressure of the wheel-flanges thereon, will be resisted by the contact of the rail-flanges with said shoulder and by the engagement of the spikes with the spike-holes 0 In this respect the spikeholes perform a function which would not be performed by open notches in the inner side of the base-plate, it being obvious that the spikes inserted through said holes at the inner sides of the rails are by this construction equally as effective as those at the outer margin of the base-plate to hold the rails from shifting laterally and that if the outer spikes were entirely omitted the inner spikes would be entirely effective for holding the rails in place. Forthese reasons the employment of the baseplate with a shoulder at its outer margin and spike holes, as distinguished from spikenotches at its inner margin constitutes an important and valuable feature of my invention, giving great advantages in the use of the base-plate thus constructed.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin on its upper surface with an inwardly-facing shoulder against which the edge of the rail-flange rests, and outside of said shoulder with a laterallydirected flange, of an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate.

2. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin on its upper surface with an inwardly-facing shoulder against which the edge of the rail-flange rests, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate, said flanges on the baseplate and the angle-plate having engaging surfaces which are constructed to afford lateral adjustment of the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate.

3. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin with an inwardly-facing shoulder against which the base-flange of the rail rests, and outsidebf said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange which is located above the lower surface of the base-plate, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange ICC which fits over the flange of the base-plate with its margin engaging the under surface of the said flange of the base-plate.

4. The combination with track-rails, of a baseplate provided near its margin with an inwardly-facing shoulder against which the base-flange of the rail rests, and outside of said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange which is raised above the lower surface of the base-plate, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which fits over the flange of the base-plate with its margin engaging the under surface of the said flange of the base-plate, and with its lower surface not lower than said lower surface of the base-plate.

5. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin and on its upper surface with an inwardly-facin g shoul der and, outside of said shoulder, with a laterally-directed flange the upper surface of which is not higher than the upper surface of the rail-flange, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate.

6. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near one margin thereof with an inwardly-facing shoulder against which one edge of the flange of the rail rests, and outside of said shoulder with a laterallydirected flange, and provided also adjacent to its opposite margin with a spike-hole, said spike-hole being located with its inner side inside of the vertical plane of the adjacent edge of the rail-flange, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate.

7. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin on its upper surface with an inwardly-facin g shoulder andoutside of said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange, and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with-the flange of the base-plate, a fish-plate applied to the side of the rail opposite the angle-plate and a bolt passing through said fish-plate, angle-plate and the rail.

8. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided near its margin on its upper surface with an inwardly-facin g shoulder and outside of said shoulder with a laterallydirected flange, an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and provided with a flange which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate, a fish-plate applied to the side of the rail opposite to the angleplate and abolt passing through the fish-plate, angle-plate and the rail, said base-plate being provided on its margin opposite to the flange thereof with a spike-hole, the inner side of which is located inside of the vertical plane of the edge of the adjacent rail-flange.

9. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided at one side with a shoulder against which one flange of each rail rests and with an outwardly-extending flange, exterior to said shoulder and above the level of the bottom of the surface of the base-plate, and at its opposite side with spike-holes, adjacent to the edge of the rail-flanges, an angle-plate the lower part of which extends outwardly over the rail-flange and extends around and engages the under surface of the said outwardly-extending flange on the baseplate, said lower part of the angle-plate being provided on its outer margin with one or more notches for spikes, and means for securing said angle-bar to the rails.

10. The combination with trackrails, a base-plate provided at one side with a shoulder against which one flange of each rail rests and with an outwardly-extending flange ex terior to said shoulder and above the level of the bottom surface of the base-plate and at its opposite side with a spike hole or holes adjacent to the edges of the rail-flanges, an angle-plate which extends outwardly over the rail-flange and the outer margin of the baseplate and is provided with a spike notch or notches in the outer margin and means for adjustably securing the angle-plate to the rails, said flange of the base-plate and angleplate being provided with contact-surfaces one of which is extended laterally and horizontally to afford lateral adjustment to the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate.

11. The combination with track-rails, the surfaces on the top of the rail-flanges and the under side of the rail-head being oppositely inclined at like angles, an angle-plate provided with upper and lower angular surfaces corresponding with those on the rail flanges and heads, means for adjustably securing the said angle-plate to the rail, of a base-plate provided adjacent to its margin on its upper surface with an inwardly-facing shoulder and outside of said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange, and a flange on said angle-plate which has interlocking engagement with the flange of the base-plate to afford lateral adjustment of the angle and base plates.

12. The combination with track-rails, a base-plate provided at one side with a continuous shoulder against which one flange of each rail rests and an outwardly-projecting flange, exterior to said shoulder and above the level of the bottom of the plate, and at its opposite side with a spike hole or holes adjacent to the edges of the rail-flanges, an angleplate which is extended at its outer margin around the said flange and engages the lower surface thereof, and means for adj ustably securing the angle-plate to the track-rails, said flange of the base-plate and angle-plate having contact-surfaces, one of which is extended horizontally and laterally to afford lateral adjustment of the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate.

13. The combination with track-rails, each having angular surfaces on the top of the railflange and under side of the rail-head which are oppositely inclined at like angles, of a base-plate provided at one side with a shoulder against which one flange of each rail rests, and at its opposite side with spike-holes adjacent to the edges of the rail-flanges, an angle-plate provided with upper and lower inclined surfaces corresponding with those on the rail flanges and heads, and means for adjustably securing the angle-plate to the rails, said base-plate and angle-plate being provided with interlocking parts having contact-surfaces one of which is extended laterally and horizontally to afford lateral adjustment of the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate.

14. The combination with track-rails, each having angular surfaces on the top of the railflange and under side of the rail-head, which are oppositely inclined at like angles, of a base-plate provided at one side with a shoulder against which one flange of each rail rests and with an outwardly-projecting flange, and

at its opposite side with spike-holes adjacent to the margins of the rail-flanges, an angleplate having upper and lower inclined surfaces corresponding with those on the rail flanges and heads, which is extended at its outer edge around the said flange on the baseplate and engages the lower surface of said flange, and means for adjustably securing said angle-plate to the rails, said flange of the base-plate and the angleplate having contact-surfaces one of which is extended laterally and horizontally to aflord lateral adjustment of the angle-plate with respect to the base-plate.

15. A base-plate for rail-joints provided on its upper surface with an inwardly-facing shoulder and late rally outside of said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange which is located above the level of the lower surface of the plate.

16. A base-plate for rail-joints provided on its upper surface with an inwardly-facing shoulder and laterally outside of said shoulder with a laterally-directed flange which is 10- cated above the level'of the lower surface of the plate, and provided also near its margin opposite said flange with a spike-hole.

17. The combination with the track-rails, of a base-plate provided with a plurality of parallel longitudinal ribs and grooves extending from end to end thereof and also provided with a continuous longitudinal shoulder at one side of its top surface against which the rail-flanges rest,and a laterally-projecting longitudinal flange exterior to said shoulder located above the level of the bottom surface of said base-plate, an angle-plate adapted to engage the top of the rail-flange, and constructed to extend around and engage the lower surface of the said flange of the baseplate and means for securing said angle-plate to the rails.

18. The combination with track-rails, of a longitudinally-ribbed girder base-plate provided with an integral depending flange and having a longitudinal shoulder at one side of its top surface against which one flange of each rail rests, and a laterally projecting flange exterior to said shoulder located above the level of the bottom surface of said baseplate, an angle-plate engaging the top surface of the rail-flanges and extending over and engaging the lower surface of the said flange of the base-plate and means for securing the said angle-plate to the rails.

19. A base-plate for rail-joints provided throughout its width with longitudinal parallel grooves and ribs on its top and bottom surfaces, giving corrugated form to the plate, the said ribs having flat faces arrangediu parallel planes and affording practically flat top and bottom faces on the plate for contactwvith the rail which rests on the same and with the ties on which the plate is supported.

20. A base-plate for railjoints provided with longitudinal parallel grooves and ribs 011 its top and bottom surfaces extending from end to end thereof giving corrugated form to the plate, and having at one side of its top surface a longitudinal shoulder for contact with the edges of the rail-flanges and at its opposite side with a spike hole or holes.

21. The combination with track-rails of a base-plate provided with longitudinal parallel grooves and ribs on its top and bottom surfaces, giving a corrugated form to the plate,

and an angle-plate applied to the side of the rail and having interlocking engagement with the base-plate.

22. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided with longitudinal, parallel grooves and ribs on its top surface and at one margin with spike-holes, and an angleplate applied to the side of the rail and having interlocking engagement with the other side of the base-plate.

23. The combination with track-rails, of a base-plate provided with longitudinal parallel grooves and ribs on its top surface and at one side of said top surface with a shoulder for contact with the edges of the rail-flanges, and an angle-plate fitting between the heads and flanges of the rail and extending outwardly over the side margins of the baseplate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of May, A. D. 1899.

BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER. 

